Allie's Farmhouse

We are really starting to make progress with Allie's dollhouse, finally. We bought her the Magnolia Dollhouse for her birthday but she didn't want it painted blue the way it was shown on the box. She wanted it to look like my Dept 56 Thanksgiving at Grandma's house piece. Clearly, a girl after my own heart. So I went to Michael's and tried to match the paint colors as closely as possible.

And here she is. I know there's a lot more to do but Allie is as pleased as punch! And that's the most important part. Scott's looking for little hinges for the doors so that they open and close properly. It'll be fun to decorate it for the holidays. Eden spent the night and all three girls had so much fun playing with it. Since I was in a nostalgic mood, I had the kids make dot candy as a special treat. Remember those? I loved them when I was a kid and they were a big hit. I let the kids pipe their own strips and I think they did a really good job considering how young they are.

These candy buttons are super easy to make. In a mixer, blend 1 egg white and 1 and 1/2 cups of confectioner's sugar on high for about 5 minutes. Pour the the mix equally into bowls and add the food coloring of your choice. We used yellow, green, and blue. Mix it really well and cover the bowls with wrap so they won't dry out. Put the mix into a sandwich bag, cut a small opening, and create your dots. I had the kids pipe it onto strips of computer paper. Let it dry overnight and enjoy!

I'll be linking up with: http://http//moldingmindshomeschool.blogspot.com/ and http://http//becca-homeiswheremystorybegins.blogspot.com/.

One Fun Week

What a busy week we had. In honor of Father's Day, the kids wanted to make something really special so we went to Color Me Mine and made a grilling platter for dad. Scott loves to grill so we thought this would be the perfect gift. The kids got to pick their own colors and create a one-of-a-kind masterpiece.

Ethan didn't want to leave so this was the best picture I got.
The kids each took turns imprinting their hand prints and Maddie wanted to write something special in the middle. The colors are actually much more vibrant. We left it there so they could bake it in the oven but this is what it looked like when we left.
Scott made the best ribs ever!

And I made his favorite dessert, fresh fruit tart.
We also went to Bolsa Chica Beach for my mother-in-law's birthday party.
Ethan loves the water!
Eden spent the night with us and had a great time looking for shells.
Here's a picture of the girls making sand castles. The next day, we headed to California Adventure. Usually, we spend all of our time at Disneyland but the kids love the new Little Mermaid and Toy Story arcade rides. While there, the kids spotted an adventure area.
Allie did really well on the rock wall.
Here are the little ones posing in a Toy Story Box, too cute!
We're hosting a BBQ at our house for the fourth so we have lots to get ready. Have a great week!

Our Trip to the Fisherman

Each year (around Father's Day or so), my family heads out to San Clemente to eat at the Fisherman's Restaurant. The food is great and you get to eat right on the pier. Great food, great company, what more could I ask for?
Logan got to spend the night with us while his mommy and grandma walked for the cure in Victorville. The kids had so much fun together. Here's a picture of him eating shrimp for the very first time and he loved it! He didn't want to try the clams though, maybe next time.
My sisters and my brothers-in-law.

And to think, some of my mom's grandkids were missing!
We ate so much that we really needed the walk down the pier.
Then, we went for a walk on the beach. There was a bit of a decline so being a gentleman, Logan helped Allie down the sand. It was so cute!

Okay, I said they could put their feet in the water but I wasn't expecting them to get completely drenched.

Luckily, I had brought a change of clothes and towel in the car. By the time we got home, they didn't even want a bedtime story. They slept really well.

A Summer Wreath

Today I wanted to link up to Kristen's Creations Show and Sell Party. She creates the most beautiful floral arrangements. I love her frames (hint, hint for the husband) and tassels too. I get so much inspiration for my Christmas decor by following her blog. Now, I know it's a show and sell party and I don't sell anything. But, I wanted to show something that I make and give away as gifts. I make wreaths for all seasons. Here's the one I have up now. From May to September, I like to decorate with red, white, and blue, very patriotic. Which reminds me, I have some flags to put out.
I had to snap the pictures really quickly because I was afraid my little one would lock me out!

So, check out her blog and etsy store. You're in for a real treat!

Our Anniversary Weekend

This past weekend, we celebrated our anniversary. My sister was sweet enough to watch the kids for us so we packed our bags and headed for Vegas. Our first stop was at the state line where we did some outlet shopping and ate lunch at the Mad Greek. It was delicious!
We got to Vegas pretty early so we hit Caesar's Palace and then the Bellagio. This is the atrium I heard so much about. The flowers were stunning!

Of course, we had to see the chocolate fountain too! Where's a strawberry when you need one?

We're not big gamblers; I don't think we gambled more than $20 between the two of us all weekend. However, we did hit the nickle poker machines and managed to sit there playing for about an hour on $5! Then we headed to our hotel but Scott wanted to stop at the Venetian first. I was hoping we'd ride on the gondolas. However, Scott got into the line for the lobby. What a surprise! I've always wanted to stay at the Venetian.

Just look at the lobby!

Here's our room. I couldn't help myself, I had to take pictures. We had three televisions in the suite, one in the bathroom, one in the bedroom, and one in the sunken living room.

We did get our chance to ride on the gondolas. We spent our honeymoon in Italy so it brought back a ton of good memories. While in Venice, we rode on a gondola but our pictures were very blurry and the driver wouldn't sing. Our driver at the Venetian more than made up for it. Not only did he sing, but danced for us as well. He had an amazing voice.

Here we are by the ride.

This is another picture in the hotel. The butterfly was actually made of flowers. I had such a good time I didn't want to leave.

But we missed the kids! Thank you honey for such a wonderful time. I love you more now than when we got married.

Broccoli Salad Recipe

I can't believe how many people came up to me after Allie's party and asked for the broccoli salad recipe. It's a copycat version for the one at Souplantation, although I've never actually eaten it there. Of all places, I sampled it at Costco and was hooked. Scott and the kids loved it too so I searched for a recipe and here's the one I use:
1 bunch of uncooked broccoli florets
1/2 c crumbled, cooked bacon
1/2 c cashews (I used peanuts once and it still tasted pretty good.)
1/3 c raisins
1/4 c chopped red onions (I finely dice these.)

Dressing:
1 c mayo
1/3 c sugar
2 T apple cider vinegar

Beat the dressing ingredients gently until smooth and toss in the broccoli, bacon, cashews, raisins, and onions. Serve immediately.

It makes a great side for a BBQ, potluck, or any at-home dinner. Enjoy!

I'm linking up to Kelly's Show Us Your Life: Side Dishes.

Mother's Day Weekend

What a fun weekend we had. First off, Saturday was Allie's birthday party. I can't believe she's five! Where did the time go? It seems like only yesterday we brought her home from the hospital. She is such a sweetheart and I'm so thankful to be her mama. Here she is getting ready for lunch. She loved the fried chicken and baked beans but I think the rolls with butter were her favorite.

Instead of making a cake, we had cupcakes, strawberry shortcakes (of course), and lemon bar bites. I also had chocolate covered marshmallows and pretzels for the kids.
Present time! What a lucky girl. She got so many wonderful gifts.......this was one of her favorites!
Here's the dollhouse we got her. It has so much detail. I think we should have bought it months in advance to have it ready for her party.
She even got matching pajamas for her and her American girl, Chrissa. It's weird how much they look alike.
I was so busy putting Allie's party together and finding presents for my moms, I really forgot about my own mother's day. Lucky for me, Scott and the kids didn't.

Maddie made me the sweetest card; she is so creative! Brenndan made breakfast in bed for us. It was delicious! I hope to watch him on Top Chef someday.

And this was my present. I absolutely love it!!!! Thank you so much guys for making my day so special. I hope everyone had a wonderful weekend.